Unwanted Visitors
by RAINBOWxDASH
Summary: Bakura is very protective of Ryou since Yami Marik is coming back to town. Ryou thinks he's overreacting until he gets kidnapped by a certain yami! Oh no!
1. The Precautions

"Yo, Ryou! Hey, wait up Ryou!" Bakura chased after him and cut him off at the door.

"What do you want, 'Kura? Can't a guy go the bathroom in peace?" Ryou looked at his yami and scowled. More and more lately 'Kura was becoming protective of him, practically stalking him everywhere he went. He tried to shove past his yami but 'Kura cut him off.

"Oh, please understand Ryou, I'm only looking out for you!" The yearning in his eyes was candid enough for Ryou to read. With one last attempt to stop him Bakura sighed and let Ryou pass. In truth, he was very worried. Marik was coming back to town with his yami and the moment of their arrival was pending quickly. Bakura didn't want to see his little Ryou mixed up with Yami Marik again, not again. Bakura had nearly lost him to the yami's seductive tricks.

"Just be careful, okay?" 'Kura asked him quietly.

"Okay 'Kura, relax! Nothing bad is going to happen to me in the boys' bathroom!" Ryou shook his head and marched through the door, grumbling incoherently about being overprotected and something else Bakura couldn't understand.

Bakura waited. And waited. And waited. Ryou hadn't come out in almost a half hour.

_Where is he? What if he snuck out the bathroom window and ran away? Oh, no!_

Bakura stormed through the bathroom in search of little Ryou. He saw that the window wasn't open so Ryou hadn't snuck out. But he did hear somebody moaning, as if in very deep pain.

"Ryou, are you in here?" 'Kura spoke. A long droning sound replied. 'Kura walked over to the stall where the sound was emitting from. Inside was Yugi Mutou, clutching his stomach and writhing on the floor.

"Oh my goodness, what happened Yugi?" The unnaturally solicitous behavior caught Yugi off-guard, then coughed violently and he shook with a spasm.

"H-h-h-h -he's b-b-b-back!" He groaned louder and doubled over the toilet, retching.

"Hold on Yugi, I'll go get Atem," said 'Kura before he ran out in search of Yugi's yami. He found Atem standing beside his locker talking to Jounouchi and Anzu.

"Hey, come and help me! Yugi's in the bathroom and he looks extremely sick!" 'Kura yelled breathlessly. The shock registered in the three and they took off down the hall. When they reached the bathroom all entered except Anzu.

"What are you waiting for, Anzu? Yugi needs our help!" Katsuya said.

"Um…hello, this is a guys' bathroom. Do I look like a guy to you?" Anzu set her fists on her hips, challenging Jounouchi to answer her.

"Uh…no?" Before she could react he bolted through the door.

Inside Bakura, Atem and Jounouchi all gathered around Yugi asking him what happened, vying him for details.

"Well," Yugi croaked. "I was washing my hands when Ryou came into the bathroom. He went into a stall and was quiet for a few minutes. Out of nowhere…_he_…appeared. I was so scared! But then he grabbed Ryou and used his Item to hurt me. 'Kura," he looked at Bakura. "I'm really worried about Ryou. He's gonna do something bad to us, I can feel it."

"Who? Who was it in the bathroom?" 'Kura almost shook the sense out of Yugi before Atem's warning glance stopped him short.

Yugi shuddered convulsively before whispering in pure fear, "Yami Marik."


	2. The Plan

Disclaimer: I don't own these...duh.

"Oh, no! Not Yami Marik! When did this happen Yugi?!" Bakura was becoming more furious by the minute. He reached out to hit something, trying to release his rage, but with the words of his little Ryou ringing in his head he thought better of it.

_"If you always want to destroy things when you become angry you're not making yourself any better than the monsters out there that make you angry."_

Yes, Ryou was right. He'd be no better than that devil...Marik. He shuddered convulsively at the name, it literally caused him to be sick. Back in the day it was true that he had run with Yami Marik, laying seige to innocent people and causing needless destruction to fuel the burning evil need inside himself. Little Ryou had changed all that, however. He showed 'Kura it wasn't all about the violence or treachery, things could be worked out through compromise and patience; even through love.

_Oh my little Ryou, where has he taken you?_

"Ugh, that guy makes me want to hit stuff, release of that Brooklyn Rage!" Jounouchi was gripping his blonde shaggy hair in clenched fists and shaking his head from side to side. "Why does he needlessly torture all of us? It's not we did anything!" He shot 'Kura a knowing look, his brown eyes harbouring a dark secret.

"Yami Marik is the incarnation of pure evil," Atem replied. "He'll stop at nothing to get what he desires most. I'm sure Bakura and I understand that most of all." Atem laid a protective and comforting hand on Yugi's head, smoothing his disheveled hair.

"Yes, it's true. I did leave Yami Marik when I realized what we were really doing together. In the beginning the idea of world conquest through Duel Monsters was something that seemed to good to be true. It felt good to deceive people, to cheat them out of their best monsters; enslave them with their own selfish desires. Little *sniff* Ryou showed me *sniff* that it doesn't have to be that way." 'Kura turned away from the group and wiped away his hot tears, his face flushing with embarrassment and shame.

"We need to make a plan, a way to get Ryou back." Jounouchi sat with his legs curled close to his chest, his long blonde bangs falling in his eyes.

"I agree. On the downside, however, Yami Marik is one of the most brilliant and diabolical minds of our age! Trying to outsmart him is pretty much both stupid and futile. The hopes of actually being able to rescue him are very slim; very slim indeed." Atem's low voice rumbled with emotion. Ryou was like a little brother to him, as much as Yugi was to him as well. He didn't want to see 'Kura hurting like this.

"Maybe if we talk to Malik he could help us!" Anzu yelled through the door, her voice muffled.

"Would Malik help us? The last I recall he hated us just as much as Marik does!" Katsuya sulked from behind his knees.

"It's worth a shot, we could at least talk to the guy. Perhaps we could persuade him to help us if he knew under what pretenses his yami is acting under," Yugi spoke after coughing up the last of the contents of his stomach. Nobody really noticed how violently pale Yugi had become over the last while.

"I'll get him to the nurse's office, then I'll come back and help with the plan." Atem picked up Yugi and carried him out the door.

A few minutes later Atem returned to Katsuya and Bakura huddled close together, poring over some maps and drawings on the bathroom's tiled floor.

"So, if we enter here and crawl through the duct work this grate would lead to the main sitting room and then that branches out to the guest rooms and other accomodations." Katsuya grandly swept his hand over the large map of a mansion of some sort. Obviously this was where Marik was staying.

"You'd probably try to pull this off while humming 'Mission Impossible' wouldn't you?" Bakura snorted.

"Jerk." Jounouchi turned around and saw Atem watching them. "Oh, hey Atem! Look, we called Malik and he agreed to give us these maps of the house they're staying at and some of the underground subway tunnel maps; apparently Marik has some secret facilities down there. We've got a good feeling that Ryou is being kept in the guest house just off the main central sitting room near the Imperial Gardens." He smiled, priding himself in how educated he sounded.

"That's just great, Jou. Do you know precisely where this place is?" He glanced over at the maps and felt an odd sort of recognition for the layout of the building. Something from the past...

"Yeah, Malik said it was a house on the outside of town. Apparently it's pretty hard to miss, it's on top of the hill overlooking the town." Jou showed Atem a picture.

"Oh my gosh! No fricking way!" Bakura wore the same look of dread and recognition as Atem did. The house was an exact replica of the palace Atem had lived in when he was a prince in Egypt. Bakura had seen the palace often enough to know what he was looking at.

"He's playing some twisted and sick game with us, Atem." 'Kura spoke quietly.

Atem nodded solemnly. "Yes. If that's the way Marik wants to play...game on."

Oooohhhh, it's SO on! Please review!


	3. The Palace

Disclaimer: I don't own these...duh.

The palace was even more magnificent up-close, the photograph hadn't done its beauty any justice. It was an exact replica of the stone temple Atem had called home so many centuries ago. The large atrium was supported by tall alabaster pillars decorated with designs of papyrus reeds, ibises, and lotus flowers. In the main courtyard there was a large cross-shaped aquamarine pool, lilies and lotuses floating on the surface lazily in the warm breeze. In the center stood a ten foot tall obelisk proclaiming the majesty and wonder of his father. A rather large sphinx sat regally at the base of the obelisk, his father's face handsome and determined. Atem and Bakura walked over to a mural that displayed the Pharaoh going hunting, his faithful son sitting at his feet, his wife in the canopy with her attendants.

"It's just like it was when I left," Bakura murmured quietly, basking in all the splendor around him. Back in Egypt, this was nothing far from normal; but in this day and age it was nothing short of fantastic and breathtaking. Atem nodded silently, reliving his moments in the palace one by one inside his head. The comfortable peace was broken by a excited squeal...two excited squeals.

"Oh my gosh, can you believe we're inside an Ancient Egyptian palace? And Atem's palace, no less?!" Anzu was ecstatic, clutching Jounouchi's jacket and jumping up and down.

"Oh, I know! Can you actually believe he LIVED here?! This place is huge! It's fit for a god!" Jounouchi was tittering away, taking in as much splendor as he could handle in one sitting. Atem and 'Kura returned to the giddy pair in the middle of the courtyard. The hanging plants from the balconies swayed lazily in the breeze releasing a lily and honey scented perfume all around the group. They all breathed deeply.

"Of course this place is fit for a god! The pharaoh was the son of Horus, the very first pharaoh! He was part god," Bakura said with some reverence and disdain.

"Excuse me, may I help you?" A small Egyptian servant girl appeared out of nowhere. She was around eleven years old with dark hair, skin; and bright blue eyes. The group turned to face her. The girl's expression was shocked, relieved and horrified at the same time. "Oh, Mighty Pharaoh Atem! I never thought I would see you again! You musn't let Yami Marik know you are here, Your Holiness! Oh, forgive me!" She fell to her knees and bowed before Atem.

"It is quite alright, little one. I'm no longer the pharaoh, just simply Atem. We are not here to see Marik, we are here to rescue a friend of ours." Atem lifted her off the ground and shot a glance at 'Kura.

"Oh, yes, of course! The white-haired boy! He seemed so frightened, I wanted to comfort him but Yami Marik used the Rod to hurt me. I can show you where he is being kept, if that is what you wish." She looked at Atem with a sort of worshipping stare.

"No, child. We are going to speak with Malik. He agreed to help us get Ryou. He doesn't agree with what Marik is doing and has agreed to assist us. We are meeting him in the Hanging Gardens."

"Oh, yes. I'm sure you remember all the secret passageways. May Ra watch over you, Your Grace." The little serving girl disappeared as though she were made of smoke.

Atem and Bakura led the group through the archway that led to a grand staircase and up to the antechamber temple room. Atem diverted down a hallway with more murals, these however depicting torture and other gruesome displays, finally ending with a heart being fed to a monster. Bakura reached past Atem's shoulder at the end of the hallway and pushed on the monster's eye. The wall opened and revealed a short passage before blinding light flashed through another doorway.

Out on the balcony the gardens were beautiful. Lush and green, profusions of blooms of every species hung in baskets, window boxes and resided in clumps and bushes on the stone floor below. At the center of the garden was another pool, this one had a young boy with tanned skin and sandy hair swimming amongst the lilies and lotuses.

The group went down to the pool's edge and waited for the boy to finish his swim. He climbed out with his back to them, revealing the Sacred Texts branded onto his back. A servant set down his ostrich fan and handed the boy a linen tunic. Once dressed the boy turned and walked toward the four.

"Hello Atem, Yami Bakura, Anzu, Jounouchi; I hope you didn't have any trouble finding the place." Malik chuckled quietly and bowed mockingly towards Atem. "And of course, where are my manners? Your Holiness, the Mighty Pharaoh Atem come home at last."

"Enough of the games, Malik. Are you going to help us release Ryou or what?" 'Kura broke the facade and balled his fists at his side. What he wouldn't give to give the little punk a good punch in the face.

"Of course. You understand I'm doing this for my own personal gain, I'm not exactly charitable. In truth, I suppose I'd ask the same for you in the event somebody I loved was taken away from me..." he trailed off.

"Where. Is. He?" Bakura spoke slowly, deliberately.

"He is in the main guest house, just through the temple antechamber. You passed it on your way in. Of course, you'll have to get past the guards, magic spells and of course Marik...he's with him all the time. He never leaves him unattended. Oh, you thought you could just walk in, take Ryou, and leave?!" Malik doubled over in raucous fits of maniacal laughter.

The group ignored this, turning and leaving through a large stone door carved with heiroglyphics. One of these carvings was clearly Atem, but the teen ignored it and kept walking.

"Good luck, Pharaoh! You're gonna need it!" Malik roared jovially behind him.

Atem lead the group back to the temple antechamber and pressed on a small indent in the stonework. A section of the wall moved aside, revealing a heavily armored guard. The guard saw the young pharaoh and stepped aside, despite the strict edict that Marik had given to ignore the pharaoh's presence. Atem led the group past trap after trap. It was as if he knew what was going to happen before it actually occured. Jounouchi and Anzu were twitching with fear and excitement, but 'Kura was quickly filling with doubt and dread.

A light shone at the end of the hallway, a soft pink haze. Inside was little Ryou lying on a luxurious bed being fanned by two Egyptian servants with ostrich fans. Atem knew this room. This was the room where his father died, his sickroom. He swallowed the vomit that rose up inside his throat.

_Marik, you twisted evil monster._

"Hello, Pharaoh...I'm so glad you could make it. Now the festivities can really begin."

Yami Marik stood above Ryou's sleeping form, the Millennium Rod in hand; grinning like a sadistic murderer.

Will Atem and Bakura be able to save Ryou and stop Marik? Will this story ever be concluded? Should I write another chapter? Am I gonna stop asking questions? Lol R&R please!


	4. The Promise

Disclaimer: I don't own these...duh.

"Marik, you twisted, evil, diabolical madman!" Bakura pushed past Atem and lunged for Marik's throat. The yami made no protest. 'Kura caught Marik's shoulders in a vise-like grip and forced him down onto the stone floor. Again he made no complaint; he simply took the abuse and smiled smugly.

"You always were one to act before thinking, weren't you?" The yami's face twisted into a mask of rage. "But no more, Yami Bakura! This is my time to shine!" He lifted the Rod and blasted 'Kura's body across the room, the dull crack of 'Kura hitting the wall vibrated through the room to be echoed by sharp groans of pain. His body slumped over and sagged with a defeated sigh.

"Bakura! C'mon, get up 'Kura! We can take this guy!" Jou shook the lifeless body with little response. Anzu hid her face in her hands, trying to mask the hot tears streaming down her face.

"Ha, ha, ha! _We? _Come now, Katsuya Jounouchi, even with an Item I doubt you could defeat me! Besides, this battle doesn't concern innocent bystanders...but if some want to volunteer for needless slaughter I'm not the one complaining." Marik barked a high-pitched, harsh cackle. The veins in his hands and neck, even in his eyes, were bulging with the adrenaline surge running through him.

"Enough, Marik! Why are you going through all this trouble to see Bakura suffer? Why steal Ryou, _why_?" Anzu gathered her courage and began shrieking at Marik, actually taking the yami off-guard. She didn't stop at his surprised reaction, the adrenaline pumping through her system was the momentum she needed. _"You think that just because 'Kura decided to leave the destruction and evil to you that you can just take your revenge because he finally saw that all the violence wasn't necessary?! Little Ryou helped Bakura see the error of his ways, he helped turn him into a better person! And you want to kill him?! WHY?!"_She was so exhausted from screaming at Marik that she dropped down onto her knees and fell forward and succumbed to unconsciousness.

"Ha, I will say in all honesty I wasn't expecting that." Marik cracked a grin and ignored the explosive behaviour, turning his attention to the only two conscious victims...Atem and Jounouchi. He turned slowly towards them and stroked the Rod with an absent mind.

"You know, I suppose it doesn't make much sense to take my revenge on all of you. I suppose knowing the basis for my..._rashness_...is something that needs to be explained." He took a step closer and Jounouchi inwardly whimpered in fear. It was at that moment that Bakura regained consciousness and began listening to Marik's monologue.

"Yes, in the beginning Bakura and I were nothing but pure evil...the baddest of the bunch. It felt so good, it still does, to cheat people out of their possessions, their souls, bringing them material and personal destruction. I believed Bakura would be by my side forever, just the two of us. After a time I began to feel a love for him, a sort of kinship that I knew only the two of us shared. It made me feel...special. When I met Malik I also loved him, but more as my brother. I could never love somebody the way I loved 'Kura. But then my 'Kura met Ryou and my world fell apart. He never returned the affections I felt for him. Destruction and death no longer pleased him the way the did before. He loved Ryou more than he loved me. I always knew Ryou was out to get me, he convinced 'Kura that the life of violence wasn't the right path for Yami and took him away from me! Now I'm going to take away the one thing that matters to him most of all, little Ryou!" He turned and faced Bakura. "If you'd only loved me, none of this would ever have to happen! WHY DID YOU NEVER LOVE ME?!?" Marik broke down in tortured sobs and fell down to his knees.

"Marik loves Bakura? How can that be?" Atem said incredulously.

"I dunno." Jounouchi stated simply. He glanced over as Bakura slowly raised his head. "Oh, 'Kura, thank goodness! We thought you were a dead man!" He reached down to help the yami up, but Bakura refused to take his hand. He crawled over to the shaking form of Marik and wrapped his arms around the cloaked form.

"Oh, Marik...this is a dirty way of revenge. I do miss the old days, I miss being your friend sometimes, but I know my place in this time is with my friends and little Ryou. I always thought of you as my brother, Marik. I've loved you like the brother I never had. Now I do, Ryou! And you have Malik, but never forget that that love is still there...brother." He squeezed Marik's body in a weird hug. He lifted Marik's chin and pressed a kiss onto his lips, briefly.

"Whoa..." Jou blushed slightly and turned his back on the hunkered pair. A sudden sound of rustling fabric brought all attention to Ryou, sitting up in the bed and rubbing his eyes.

"Wha--what's going on? Jou? Atem? Anzu? BAKURA?" He looked around, panicking.

"It's alright now, Ryou. Everything is going to be fine." He looked up to Ryou and smiled, promising. He looked back down to Marik's tear-streaked face, standing him up on his feet.

"I'll love you forever, Brother. That's for all time," he said quietly. He offered him his hand.

"Yes, Brother, for all time." Marik clasped the offered hand and they embraced once more before they all left the palace.

**THE NEXT DAY...**

"Alright class! Tell me what happened to you this weekend," the teacher sang. "How about you Bakura?"

He smiled at Jou, Anzu, Atem, and Ryou all in turn. "Oh, nothing much. Hung out with friends, went to a really old house and dealt with a very bad man."

"Oh dear, that sounds exciting!" the teacher remarked.

Bakura smirked. "You don't know the half of it."

YAY!! RYOU IS SAFE! The story is now complete! I hope you enjoyed it, I had fun writing it! Please review, this is my biggest fic so if you don't like it please don't flame me! XD -ghastlymortal


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